understanding the return of snap time limits for able bodied...

HOWTHENONPROFIT ANDFA ITHCOMMUNITY CANHELP

SueBerkowitzSberk@scjustice.org

UnderstandingtheReturnofSNAPTimeLimitsfor

AbleBodiedAdultswithoutDependents

5/19/16

SOUTHCAROLINAAPPLESEED

MissionStatement: SCAppleseedfightsforlowincomeSouthCarolinianstoovercomesocial,

economicandlegalinjustice.

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WHATWEWILLCOVERINTHISPRESENTATION

oWhatistheSNAPtimelimit?oWhatandWhyarewefacingthisissuenowoSouthCarolinaSNAPprogramtimeline

•Whowillbeaffected?•Exceptions– Whoisexemptfromthetimelimit?•HowABAWDscancontinue toreceiveSNAPpast3monthsunder thetimelimitrule•QualifyingWorkHoursforIndividualExemptions•HowCommunity-BasedandFaithOrganizationsCanAssist

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WHOMUSTMEETTHETIMELIMIT

FederalRegulationsrefertothisgroupasAbleBodiedAdultsWithoutDependents,orABAWD.•18– 49yearsold•Childless(nodependentchildrenunder18)•Unemployed/underemployed:Lessthan20hrs.aweekinjoborjobtraining.•Non-disabled(Nodocumenteddisabilitythatwouldprecludeemployment)

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THESNAPTIMELIMIT

•SNAPbenefitsarelimitedtothreefullmonths inanythreeyearperiod,unless theindividual:- livesinawaivedareaofastate(none inSC),- isworking20hoursaweek,- inaqualifying jobslot20hoursaweek,- participating incommunity servicework,

or- meetsoneofthefewexceptions.

•Statesdonothavetoofferajobortrainingopportunity

•Manystatesdonot,SouthCarolinaisnowsettingupavoluntaryE&TprogramProgramrunbySCDSSbuttheywillbecontractingwithSCDEW

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SNAPTIMELIMITHISTORYANDCONTEXT

•The1996welfarelaw(PRWORA)imposedatimelimitontheeligibilityofcertainSNAPapplicantsevenwhentheyarecomplyingwithallotherprogramrequirements.•USDAwaivesthetimelimitforstatesduetohighunemployment orhighlaborsurplus.•BecauseSChashistoricallyhadhigherunemployment thantherestofthecountrythemajorityofourcountiesandMSA’shadawaiver.•Throughout therecessionanditsaftermathmoststateshadwaivers.•TheAmericanRecoveryandReconstructionActof2009suspended thetimelimitprovision forallstatesfor2009and2010.•Withtheeconomyimproving andunemployment declining, manystateswillnolongerqualify forastatewidewaiverandmustreinstatetheSNAPtimelimits.•SCstillqualified forawaiverin2016,butchosetoinitiatethetimelimitstatewide.•Therehasbeenabigpushamongconservativepoliticalgroups todothis.

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KEYMESSAGESABOUTTHETHREEMONTHTIMELIMIT

•TheABAWDprovisionisatimelimit,notaworkrequirement.

•CuttingSNAPbenefitstothisextremelypoorandvulnerablegroupwillcausewidespreadharm.

•IdentifyingexistingABAWDsrequiresindividualizedassessmentoftheircircumstances.

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TIMELINEFORIMPLEMENTATIONINSOUTHCAROLINA

EarlyAssessmentofIndividualCircumstances- Winter2016

OTDANoticetoPotentialABAWDs- March2016

TimeLimitsReinstated-April1,2016

NoticesgooutwithchecklistforExemptions- April2016

SomeABAWDsexhaust3montheligibilityandlosebenefits- July2016

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WHOISAFFECTEDBYSNAPTIMELIMITS?

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WHOMUSTMEETTHETIMELIMIT:

Low-incomeadultswithoutchildreninthehouseholdwhoworklessthan20hoursperweek:

•18– 49yearsold

•Childless(nodependentchildrenunder18)

•Unemployed/underemployed:Lessthan20hrs.aweekinjoborjobtraining.

•Non-disabled(Nodocumenteddisabilitythatwouldprecludeemployment)

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INDIVIDUALSATRISKAREVERYPOOR

4outof5haveincomebelow50%ofthePovertylevel

Source:Cen.OnBudgetandPolicyPriorityofFY2013SNAPHouseholdCharacteristicData

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AGEALMOSTONETHIRDOVER40

Source:Cen.OnBudgetandPolicyPriorityofFY2013SNAPHousehold CharacteristicData

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GENDER40%AREFEMALE

Source:Cen.OnBudgetandPolicyPriorityofFY2013SNAPHouseholdCharacteristicData

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EXCEPTIONS

WhoisExemptfromSNAPTimeLimits?

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WHODOESNOTFALLUNDERTHETIMELIMITRULE:

IfanindividualmeetsanyofthefollowingexceptionsthentheycancontinuetobeeligibleforSNAPanddonotfallunderthethreemonthrule:•LivesinawaivedareaofSC(Currentlynone)•Under18or50yearsofageorover•Pregnant•ExemptfromgeneralSNAPworkrequirements.•Responsibleforadependentchildorresidinginahousehold(sameSNAPcase)whereahouseholdmemberisunder18oranadultthatneedscaretakingthatkeepsbeneficiaryfromgoingtowork,or•Physicallyormentallyunfitforwork•Chronicallyhomeless:FNSguidanceonthisissue

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IDENTIFYINGTHOSEWHOAREPHYSICALLYORMENTALLYUNFITFORWORK

AnIndividualisnotsubjecttothethreemonthtimelimitiftheyaredeterminedtobementallyorphysicallyunfitforwork.Thereare3waystobeconsideredunfitforwork:•Receivingtemporaryorpermanentdisabilitybenefitsissuedbygovernmentalorprivatesource,•ObviouslymentallyorphysicallyunfitforemploymentasdeterminedbyaSNAPworker,or•Statementfromaphysician,physician’sassistant,nurse,nursepractitioner,representativeofaphysician’soffice,licensedorcertifiedpsychologist,asocialworker,oranyothermedicalpersonneldeterminedappropriatebythestate.

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WHATIFSOMEONESHOULDHAVEBEENIDENTIFIEDBUTWASNOTUNTILAFTER

CLOCKSTARTS

TellSCDSSABAWDworkerimmediatelyifsomeoneshouldhavebeenidentifiedasnotundertherule.

DSScangobackandreclassify.

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CONTINUINGTORECEIVESNAPAFTER3MONTHS

QualifyingWorkActivities

IndividualExemptions

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QUALIFYINGWORKACTIVITIES

ABAWDsengagedinqualifying workactivitiescancontinue toreceiveSNAPbenefitsbeyond thethreemonth timelimit.•Working 20ormorehoursaweek,averagedmonthly.•Participatinginaqualifying work/trainingprogramapprovedbytheSNAPoffice20hoursormoreaweek,averagedmonthly.•Participatinginaprogramunder theWorkforce InvestmentOpportunity Act(WIOA)whichmayincludejobsearch,jobreadiness,occupationalskillstraining,andeducationactivities20hoursormoreaweek,averagedmonthly.•Combinationofworkingandparticipating inqualifying workprograms20hoursaweek.OR•Complying withaWorkExperienceassignmentifonemadeavailable.Someconfusion nowwheretheE&Tofficewillbelocated,buteachcountyofficewillhaveanABAWDcaseworker.

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INDIVIDUALEXEMPTIONS:

USDAprovidesstateswiththeabilitytosettheirownindividual exemptions.•Eachyearastatecanexemptroughly15percentofitscaseloadthatissubjecttothetimelimit.•USDAprovidesstateswithayearlyaccountingoftheirnewandunusedexemptions.•AllowstheStatetoextendSNAPeligibility toindividuals whowouldotherwisebeineligiblebecausetheyhadexhaustedtheir3monthsofeligibility.•EachIndividualExemptionisonemonthofbenefitsforoneperson.•Thestatecanalsoaskforawaiverforhighunemployment orhigh laborsurpluscounties/MSA’s. Thishasnotoccurredyet.•Wedonotknowwhatpercentageofour statecangetindividualexemptions.

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COMMUNITYORGANIZATIONSCANHELP

Educateyourclientsandyourcommunityaboutthetimelimitruleanditsimpactsbeforethetimelimitisreinstated.

•Workwithclientsimpactedbythetimelimitsby:•Determiningiftheymeetanexception- obtaindocumentation- explainthe3waystobeconsideredunfitforwork- obtaindocumentationofunfitness•MediatingwiththeSNAPofficeonbehalfofyourclientsthathavebeenwronglymisclassifiedasanABAWD,or•Determiningiftheymeetorhowtheycanmeetaqualifyingworkactivity.-documentingthequalifyingworkactivity

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QUESTIONS?

Wewilltryandkeepyouupdatedonanychangesorimprovements thatwillhelpABAWDS.

SueBerkowitz,DirectorSCAppleseedsberk@scjustice.org

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